Supernatural Rising
As you know, I normally don’t discuss things like the antichrist or the Ark of the Covenant. Mostly because others have covered those topics quite well. And, for me, there are too many unknowns. I don’t like speculation.
But a story in the Jewish News Service (JNS) this week really caught my eye.
I’ve never heard anything like it.
A group of experts has created a replica of the ark of the covenant, and it is making its way throughout Israel, on a tour of sites it rested in in antiquity. From Jericho, to Shiloh, and now Jerusalem, the ark replica—covered in nearly-pure gold— took years to research and complete, with much of the research being done in Egypt. In fact, three tons of acacia wood from Egypt was used on the replica biblical artifact.
It contains a copy of the Torah. The original/real ark contained the very Ten Commandments.
Of course, speculation on what happened to the real ark has fascinated men for thousands of years. Speculation ranges from the ark being concealed under the Temple Mount just ahead of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in the sixth century B.C., to it being stolen by the Roman 10th legion in the first century. No one knows for sure. Anyone that says they do, doesn’t know enough to make a dogmatic claim.
The ark was constructed, according to the Lord’s instructions, about a year after the Israelites left Egypt. Moses heard from the Lord, whose presence dwelt between the two cherubim on top of the box-shaped ark. After an initial housing in the traveling tabernacle, the ark found a permanent home in the Temple in Jerusalem. It was definitely a supernatural “device,” if you will, and the power from the ark accompanied the Israelites into battle. When the Philistines captured it, they didn’t keep it long. Their false god Dagon was destroyed in his own temple one night, with the Israelites’ ark of the covenant present. In fact, if you have a driver today on a visit to Israel, he or she can point out the spot, on Highway 1, the hilltop where the Philistines left the dangerous ark for the Israelites to reclaim.
The replica, while not the real thing, is very intriguing in that Israeli biblical experts, rabbis, and even political and military officials are talking about it. Much of that is being driven I believe because Israel is once again making extraordinary gains on the battlefield, not unlike the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War. People sense something in the air.
God is moving.
The title of the JNS article alone is gripping:
“With eyes on winning war, building third Jewish Temple, Ark replica shown in Jerusalem”
Talk of rebuilding the Temple (as outlined in Ezekiel) is controversial for both religious and political reasons. Because Scripture is true, the very Word of God, we know that the Temple will be rebuilt, so it’s amazing that leaders other than simply religious in Israel are talking about this replica ark, and by extension, a new Temple.
According to the JNS article:
“Lt. Col. (res.) Mordechai Kedar, a research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, told attendees that the Ark is a concept in other faith traditions, including Islam.
“’The Ark is mentioned in the Quran in the second chapter,’ the scholar, who is one of Israel’s leading cultural experts, told attendees. He added that some researchers have made what he considers a ‘false comparison’ between the Kaaba, the holy stone in Mecca, and the Ark.
The symbolism of an ark replica approximating the return of the Ark to Judaism is significant, according to Kedar.
“’Now we can see with our own eyes something which we have missed for 2,000 years,’ he said.
“’We have never seen such things. We heard about them. We learned about them. We see pictures, but we have never seen them in real life.’
“’It is very important for us to see how these really were—to touch things, to see them, to measure them, to stand near them. We haven’t done so for 2,000 years,’ he added. ‘We can see, we feel, we can touch and we can take pictures with them.’”
Honestly, the interest level from Israeli leaders is thrilling. We’ll see where this goes from here. (I’m not saying that this replica ark will be in the Temple; it seems to me it would have to be the real one.)
Whether we see the real ark of the covenant discovered or not remains a mystery, I believe. Two intriguing verses in the Bible discuss its future, or at least a possible location now.
“Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the LORD, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. (Jeremiah 3:16)
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:19)
I think it is highly significant that Jeremiah wrote these words. This would indicate that at least for a time during the very last days, the ark will be out of sight, out of mind. Then in eternity, it will be present.
But I really don’t know, fully. I am getting dangerously close to entering territory I always preach against: speculation.